The St Nick Fix
by Hobo3
Summary: A little girl asks Santa for the A-Team.
1. St Nick Fix

The St. Nick Fix

  


by Hobo3

  


*Author's Note: This story was inspired by seeing Incident at Crystal Lake two days after watching the Santa Clause 2. I saw Hannibal with that grey-white beard at the gas station, pointed and stated (not unlike Neil from the first Santa Clause): "Santa." I know it's early for a Christmas story but if I don't start it now, I won't get it done before Christmas. Hope you enjoy!

  


*Legal Yadaa: The A-Team is the property of Stephen J. Cannell. No ownership of the characters is implied, this is strictly for fun. 

  


  


  


Hannibal Smith was used to this kind of wardrobe for a role. Hot, stuffy and added girth. His stints as the Aquamaniac had made him immune to the kind of costumes that sent other actors crying for their mothers. _This_ was a role he could get used to.

  


Hannibal loved making the audience, especially the kids, smile. He also loved to show off his pearly whites for the camera. This Santa gig was the best of both worlds. But the best part (in Hannibal's mind)-the _best_ part-was that Decker would never dream of looking for him at the busiest mall in L.A. on the busiest day of the year: Christmas Eve.

  


Hannibal chuckled and let out a hearty "Ho! Ho! Ho!" as he set down the little boy who had just asked for an MP3 player. MP3's. He chuckled again and stole a glance at the tall, lanky elf that was escorting another child up to him. Santa's mental elf. Murdock caught Hannibal looking at him and gave the Colonel a wink.

"Now don't be shy," he was saying to the little girl as he helped her onto Santa's lap. "I personally guarantee on my honor as an elf . . . he does not bite."

  


The little girl gave a weak smile and stared at the platform's red carpet. The instant she seated herself Hannibal sensed that she was more than just shy.

Something was wrong.

"Well now, what's your name?" Hannibal looked at the girk, trying to figure out what was wrong. The girl looked like a miniature Judy Garland from her role in the _Wizard of Oz_. Some of her red hair was tied back in a powder blue bow that perfectly matched her dress. All she was missing was Toto and the ruby slippers. She continued to stare at the carpet when she answered.

"Hannah."

"Hannah?" Hannibal could barely hear what she said. Hannah nodded. "That's a pretty name. How old are you, Hannah?"

"Six."

  


Hannibal looked up from the girl to the adult standing behind Murdock. One look at the face on the battle-axe of a woman told Hannibal she was not Hannah's mother. Her gaze never left the child. Parents were attentive and excited, sometimes more so than their children. Nothing like this woman. She had the same look on her face as the guards in the stockade had. Hannibal remembered those few days vividly. "Why the long face?" _As if he didn't know_.

Hannah shrugged.

"Christmas is a time for joy, Hannah. It's a magic time." Hannah raised her head at the word _magic_. Hannibal smiled. The stage lights used to illuminate the platform glinted off the half-glasses that were part of his costume. Hannah inhaled sharply as she caught the twinkle in Santa's bright blue eyes. He looked just like all the stories said he would. This Santa was different from the other store Santas she'd seen in her short years.

  


Seeing hope light in the girl's eyes, Hannibal continued.

"Let's see what Santa can do to make your Christmas a happy one. Tell me, what do you want for Christmas?"

The photographer cleared his throat. Hannibal gave him a cursory glance. So he was going over his allotted time per child, so what?

"I want the A-Team."

  


Hannibal had been prepared for any answer but that. The woman who brought Hannah to the mall, started toward Santa. Murdock nodded at Hannibal, grabbed the woman's arm before she could protest and escorted her to the other side of the platform to wait for the picture.

Santa turned Hannah to face the camera.

"The A-Team. That's a tall order. What do you want them for?"

"To take me away from the people who took me from my daddy."

"That's a very good reason. Can you tell me where they can find you? Smile!"

  


The flash from the camera blinded them both for a moment. Hannibal saw Hannah shake her head no as he set her down.

"Ho! Ho! Ho! You be a good girl and Santa will see about getting you what you asked for," he called after Hannah as she was dragged away by the severe-looking woman.

  


Santa stood up and looked at his watch. He looked alarmed.

"Sorry kids! Santa has just been informed of an emergency at the North Pole," He gestured to his watch as he side-stepped off the platform. Murdock played his part perfectly, gasping and looking at the watch. "We'll be back as soon as we can!"

  


With that, he and Murdock dashed away from the platform before a riot started. Hannibal hated to disappoint the rest of the children like that, especially on Christmas Eve. No doubt he would be fired for this. Then he remembered that it was his last day on the job anyway.

"What creeps kidnap a little kid around Christmas?" Murdock asked. Hannibal knew it was rhetorical, he answered anyway.

"The kind that get coal in their stockings if I have anything to say about it! We'll have Face and B.A. P.A.'d when we get to the van. That woman wasn't taking anymore chances with Hannah here at the mall. They'll probably head straight back to where they're keeping her."

"Right on, Colonel."

  


* * *

  


"Be careful with those presents, B.A.! I want them to be in one piece when the kids at the orphanage open them tonight," Face said, trying to organize the packages B.A. was tossing from the shopping carts into the back of the black van.

"I'd be more careful if you were out here helping me, sucka! I got them off the shelves. I put them in the carts. I pushed all of these carts out here. For what? You said you was gonna load them in the van."

"Whose idea was it to get Hannibal to do his Santa act at the orphanage? Mine. Whose idea was it to buy all these gifts? Mine, too. Who was the one picking out each gift? That was me as well. Hmmm. I think I'm doing more than my fair share by helping you fit them all in the van here."

  


B.A. responded with a growl and a shake of his head. He turned back to the wrapped and tagged presents stacked in the carts to hide his smile. Faceman couldn't help himself, he tried to con everybody.

"Yeah?" B.A. tossed another box at Face when he had composed himself. "You do this every year. You should be thankin' Hannibal for agreein' to help you pull this off, Faceman! Not only that, you used his employee discount to buy all these presents!"

"B.A.," Face rolled his eyes at the big man. "Where does it say that I can't give presents I didn't pay full price for? Besides, you know that they jack the prices up on Christmas Eve. It's highway robbery!"

They were still arguing on thie vein when Santa and his elf burst out of the mall.

"Face! B.A.! We're on assignment! Now!"

  


"_Now?_" Face groaned. "How did we managed to get an assignment? And on Christmas Eve of all days."

"From a little girl named Hannah," replied Hannibal, peeling off his fake beard and mustache.

"She looks just like Judy Garland in _The Wizard of Oz_, only she's six," Murdock added as he helped Hannibal put of the Santa Suit. Always being on the run had taught the four men the importance of wearing their street clothes under any disguise.

"I almost hate to ask-B.A.! Watch it! Some of these are fragile!" Face hugged as many presents as he could reach close to him, in an attempt to keep them from tumbling onto Murdock, as B.A. circled the enormous parking lot. "What did a six-year-old girl do to hire the A-Team?"

"Simple," said Hannibal around the cigar he'd put in his mouth. "She asked Santa for them."

This response elicited another groan from the harried Face.

  


"Hey Hannibal! I think I see her!" B.A. pointed to a white Lincoln two rows away from the van.

"A miniature Judy Garland . . ." Face murmured in wonder as his gaze followed the direction pointed out by B.A.'s bejewelled finger.

"That's her. Make sure we don't lose that Lincoln, Sgt. Santa wants to personally deliver this package to the slimeballs responsible for kidnapping her."

"Kidnap?" B.A. and Face said simultaneously. B.A. turned on Hannibal.

"Why didn't you say so? What kinda creep kidnaps a kid at Christmas?!"

"Y'know, that's just what I said, B.A.-" Murdock began.

"Shut up, fool!"

  


end of Chapter One.


	2. How Decker Stole Christmas

The St. Nick Fix

  


Chapter 2:

How Decker Stole Christmas

  


Author's Note: Thanks to everyone for all your reviews. I'm so glad you're enjoying the story. I hope to upload the next chapters more quickly than I did this one. 

  


Disclaimer: The A-Team and its associated characters are the creation and property of Stephen J. Cannell. No ownership is implied in writing this work of fiction, it is purely for fun.

  


How Decker Stole Christmas

  


Christmas had a way of bringing out the worst in Colonel Decker. It turned his mind to things in his past he would rather forget. Stepping out amongst the civilians this time of year served as a stark reminder of what he had given up to serve his country. Not that he begrudged what his country asked of him. No sir, he never had and never would. Still, there were thoughts that tickled the back of his head of how things might have been. Thoughts of a family waiting for him to get home, missing him if he had to work, like he was today, Christmas Eve. 

  


He let out a deep sigh as the phone on his office desk rang, mercifully breaking him out of his reverie.

"Decker."

"Colonel Decker?"

"Yes, Pete. I trust 'Santa' is still busy."

"Well, t-that's what I'm calling about . . ."

Nothing that followed an opening like that could be good. "Pete!" Decker's voice became gruffer as he bellowed into the phone's mouthpiece. "What happened?! What did you do to tip him off!?!"

"N-Nothing! I swear. It happened so fast. I couldn't get through the mob of children to follow . . ."

  


The rest of Pete's explanation was lost on Decker as his mind reeled with the unraveling of his plan. It had been so perfect. He should've known that his luck would run out. By sheer chance Pete, a slightly shady private investigator who was handy with a camera, had found out Smith was working as Santa at the mall. He'd been there a month but Decker insisted on waiting. Smith had made a fool of him far too many times to be let off so easily. No, he had wanted wait outside the mall for Smith, no doubt with the rest of the A-Team, to come out and see that grin of his fall with the realization that this time Decker had turned the tables on him. Now that chance was gone. 

  


". . . you see, I think it started with this girl, myself. I mean, I've had enough cases to get that instinct. Y'know, that little radar inside that tells you something's not quite right with the picture. Yeah, this little girl gets dragged off by 'mommy' and suddenly Smith and his elf jump off the platform." Pete rambled on.

"Little girl?" A possibility snapped Decker back to hear what his mole was saying.

"Yeah."

"No," Decker's voice was barely a whisper.

"Colonel?" Pete already thought chasing the A-Team had driven Decker over the edge. The tone of the man's voice worried him.

"No, it couldn't . . ." Decker let his voice trail off. His mind was racing too fast for his mouth to catch up. Could a mere child have spoiled his plan? Could this little girl have done what he thought she'd done? It was ludicrous. But then, so was the whole A-Team situation. If he didn't know the A-Team, Smith in particular, so well, he'd think he was grasping at straws with what he was about to do. 

"Did you get a picture of her with Smith?"

"Yeah, like I said, she was the last one before Smith and the elf took off."

"Get me that picture, now!"

  


  


  


"Now there's a place to be held hostage," Murdock said, looking at the large estate attached to the driveway that the Lincoln carrying Hannah pulled into. 

"It sure makes things more interesting," Hannibal admitted as he lit his cigar. 

"We're goin' in the front door, ain't we, Hannibal?" B.A. asked. " The sooner we get Hannah out of there, the better."

"Shouldn't we have a plan first, B.A?" Face pulled assorted guns from the trunk in the back of the van that he and B.A. had buried under all the presents. 

"The Sergeant's right, Lieutenant," Hannibal took the semi-automatic rifle Murdock held out to him. "These sleazeballs don't know they've been followed so we have the element of surprise. Plus, we should get in there before they have a chance to secure her." He opened the van's door. "Let's move out!"

  


  


  


Belinda pulled the girl inside the front door. Her nephew, Jonas, a tall young man with his dark hair slicked back out of his face, was waiting for them. She closed the door and turned to him.

"What could you have possibly been thinking?! Sending me out with the child. It was a great risk!" 

"A risk we had to take. The neighbors would talk if she didn't get out to see Santa. Those busybodies. It was a greater risk taking her onto the grounds so they could see her!" 

"You're the one the wanted everything to look normal!" Hannah shrank against the wall as their voices rose. Jonas noticed and put a big smile on his face. 

"Auntie Bee," he moved to embrace her. "Auntie, can't you see that we're upsetting my girl?" Auntie Bee relented to her nephew's charm. Jonas turned and crouched down in front of Hannah, making his Gucci loafers creak. She avoided looking at him. "Hey," he brushed her face with his thumb, "Did you get to see Santa? Did you ask him for all sorts of nice things?" 

Hannah didn't reply. Jonas confused her. Sometimes, like now, he was so nice. Other times he frightened her. Then there was the things they said.

"I bet you did. I bet I know what you asked for." Hannah jerked her head up, eyes full of panic. "Hey, hey. It's okay. There's nothing too good for you. You're my girl." He'd said it again. He got mad every time she tried to tell him he was wrong. She was the daughter of Dr. William Bombrey, not Jonas McInnis. 

"You asked for a pony!" Hannah crossed her fingers behind her back and nodded. She hoped Santa wouldn't count it against her.

"She took a long time asking for it," Aunt Belinda scowled at Hannah. "You're a disgrace to the family, Jonas. You've always been. First her _mother_, now her. When will it end? You should've forgotten that she existed."

"I loved her!" Jonas roared as he rose to confront he aunt. Hannah covered her ears and shut her eyes. This wasn't the first time she'd heard this argument and she didn't want to hear it again. "My father should've stayed out of my life!"

"He saved you from the worst mistake of your life!"

"Saved me?! He killed Mona and her father! Her father, I didn't care, but that's not the point. He would've killed Hannah too, if she hadn't disappeared somehow."

"She's more trouble than she's worth, Jonas!"

  


  


  


Hannibal had heard enough. He motioned with his hand, and B.A. knocked down the front door.

Hannibal fired some bullets into the ceiling and walls. 

"Well, then, lady. We'll be happy to take her off your hands!" Face and Murdock followed him inside the building and prodded Jonas and Belinda into a closet and barricaded them inside. The estate's security, about ten men, arrived. What followed was a barrage of gun-fire from both sides that wrecked much havoc upon the estate's luxurious interior but amazingly left everyone unharmed. Once the fighting became close range, the security team found themselves thrown, one after the other, into the basement by the muscular man with a mohawk hair-cut and fists laden with gold. 

"Ha. That was easy." Hannibal slung his rifle over his shoulder and lit another cigar.

  


No longer feeling the tension in the air from the fighting, Hannah dared to open her eyes. She saw four men standing near the front door. She remembered the pictures her teacher had shown them from the newspapers and instantly recognized the one called "B.A." Strange, the stories never mentioned a fourth member of the A-Team. She shrugged as she struggled to her feet, still shaken from the recent confrontations. Then she realized what their presence meant.

  


"Santa told you! He told you! I knew it was the real Santa!" Hannah skipped toward the grinning white-haired man. "Only the _real _Santa could have got you so fast!" She stopped short. The white-haired man's eyes! They twinkled with a mischievous glee just like Santa's! The recognition registered on her face and her eyes widened. She took a tentative step forward. 

  


Hannibal started when he realized Hannah recognized him. He marveled that his disguises fooled the best of adults but he couldn't fool a six-year-old. The irony of it made him laugh nervously. Hannah saw that Santa knew she recognized him. She had been unsure until then. The revelation made the room spin around her head. She looked at Hannibal, eyes even wider with wonder.

"Santa is a member of the A-Team?"

  


end of Chapter Two

  


  


  



	3. We Three Elves

The St. Nick Fix

  


Chapter Three

  


We Three Elves . . . 

  


Author's Note: [Note to Self: Never, ever, ever, ever! Again promise to update faster that before. It's cruel and unusual torture, for me, not just the readers!] Now that I have that out of the way. Thank you for your patience. As mentioned before this is all just for fun.

  


A short and silly chapter:

  


We Three Elves . . .

  


Hannah frowned at the cigar Hannibal had clenched between his gleaming white teeth.

"I thought you smoked a pipe."

"Uh, well. Santa _use to_ smoke a pipe. Then the powers that be thought that it would be a bad influence on children like yourself," Hannibal smiled as he remembered Murdock's admonition over his cigar when he auditioned for the part of Ruff the Bear of the _Uncle Buckle-Up Show._"So I stopped using the pipe. I still enjoy the odd cigar now and then."

Face looked quizzically at Hannibal. "Odd?"

Murdock grinned at the Colonel. "Odd?"

B.A., completely oblivious to the humor of the situation, looked at the leader of the A-Team. "Aw, Hannibal. Odd?"

Hannibal nodded solemnly. "Odd."

  


Murdock gallantly opened the side-door of the van for Hannah to climb in. As she did, Hannah spotted the mountain of presents in the back.

"Wow! Look at all the presents!" She turned to Hannibal as he got in the front passenger seat. "But-I thought you used a sleigh."

"_Those_ presents are for the orphanage," said the attractive blond man wearing a black leather jacket who had seated himself to Hannah's left. "Santa gives those out separately. This is only a temporary mode of transportation. You see, that's how Santa gets presents to all the children all over the world. He doesn't just go around at night. He's busy all day long. Isn't that right, Santa?"

"Yes," said Hannibal with a moment's hesitation. He was uncomfortable about deceiving the girl. "That's right."

  


Green and red caught Hannah's eye. Santa's suit! And the elf's! She looked at the blond man again. No, he wasn't the elf from the mall. The big man with the funny hair-cut driving the van _definitely_ wasn't him either. By process of elimination she turned to the man in the faded brown bomber jacket seated to her right.

"You! You're one of Santa's elves!" Hannah could barely contain her excitement.

Murdock winked at her under the brim of his blue ball cap.

"I'll tell you a secret," he leaned down and said in a loud whisper: "We're _all_ Santa's elves!"

Hannah giggled. Murdock was encouraged by her genuine smile. He remembered how unhappy she'd been just moments ago.

"This elf right here," he pointed to Face. "That's Templeton Peck. But we all call him Face, the Good-Looking Elf." Face grinned and gave Hannah a small salute.

"And the big guy drivin' the van, that's B.A., the Big, Ugly, Muck-Sucker Elf." B.A. growled at Murdock. "Don't let the growl fool you. He's just a big ol' teddy bear."

Murdock's zaniness was infectious, Hannah could hardly stop giggling long enough to ask him what he was called.

"Me? I'm H.M. Murdock, the Out of His Mind Elf."


	4. It Came Upon an Evening Muddled

The St. Nick Fix

Chapter Four

It Came Upon An Evening Muddled

Author's Note: Sorry about the shortness of Chapter Three. I'm better now and have finally got the plot on course. 

Disclaimer: Please See Chapter One

* * *

It Came Upon An Evening Muddled

Jonas McInnis was enraged. Nothing his aunt Belinda said or did had the intended calming effect. She gave up and sat on the chesterfield, waiting for the tirade to end.

"They barge into MY home!" She heard the thud and soft 'oof' of air being jarred from the body of the unfortunate security officer Jonas slammed into the nearest wall. "They shoot up MY house!" The tinkle of the remains of expensive trinkets was followed by the clatter of the table he overturned. "They take away MY daughter!"

Auntie Bee winced at the force of her nephew's voice. If he kept this up, he wouldn't have a voice left. Which would be a good thing, she reflected.

"I won't let it happen again! I won't lose her again!" His voice trailed off as he stomped up the stairs.

After a moment Belinda carefully picked up the receiver of the phone sitting on the end table. She raised it to her ear and heard the dialtone. She quickly dialed a number and held her breath, listening for the sound of footfalls in case she needed to feign innocence. The person on the other end picked up. Auntie Bee then uttered the understatement of her life. 

"We have a problem."

* * *

"I realize it's Christmas and all, kid," Hannibal was in full Colonel mode. "But what does the son of an Irish mafia boss want with a six-year-old girl?"

"He-he said that I'm his daughter," Hannah slouched back in her seat, arms folded across her chest. 

"We heard that much back at the mansion." The team exchanged glances. Face shifted uncomfortably in his seat, the role of 'bad cop' falling on him.

"Are you?" he asked.

"No!" Hannah practically shrieked. "I'm the daughter of Dr. William Bombrey!" Hannah sniffed and hugged her knees to her chest. "I _thought_ Santa and his elves knew everything."

"No, not everything. Only if you're sleeping or awake, whether you've been bad or good," Hannibal said regretfully. "So why don't we take you home and we'll have a nice chat with your father."

"Daddy won't be home."

"Eh, he-won't?" Face asked.

"No. He'll be working. He works all the time."

"Wait a minute," said Murdock. "You mean to tell us that you've been kidnapped and, instead of waiting by the phone at home for a call from the police, your dad is working?"

"My daddy's work is very important. He knows I understand. He shouldn't have to . . . just because . . . Oh! You don't understand!" Hannah threw her arms up in exasperation.

"The police could always call him at work, Murdock," said Hannibal, gently. This simple statement redeemed him slightly in Hannah's eyes. Murdock was about to protest when B.A. cut him off.

"We'd like to understand, Hannah. We really would. That's why we wanna talk to your father," he tried to level with the girl. "Why don't you tell us where he works an' we'll talk to him there. I'm sure he won't mind when he you're safe."

"Bentix Labs. At 336 San Naab Drive. I remember because Daddy told me that the first two numbers equal the third number. I've never been there. He just wanted me to know in case something happened."

"Like what?" asked Hannibal. It was beginning to sound like Dr. Bombrey might not be an innocent victim. A shrug was the only response he got from Hannah.

  
  


It took a few minutes for B.A. to find San Naab Drive. There was an uncomfortable silence in the van until the door of a building just ahead of them opened. A middle-aged man with short, mussed mousy brown hair and wearing a white lab coat over a white dress shirt and black dress pants stepped out, casting about furtive glances as he did.

"That's him! That's my Daddy!" Hannah squealed, her face beaming. 

Hannibal nodded to B.A. B.A. Accelerated the van, then brought it to a screeching halt before the now startled Dr. Bombrey. Murdock slid open the door and hauled the man inside mid-protest.

"Daddy!" Hannah hugged Dr. Bombrey as he glanced about his new surroundings. Suddenly a thought occurred to him.

"Hannah!" he embraced the child. "You're okay! I was so worried I'd never see you again. That I'd never get to tell you-" he stopped remembering the strangers that had, somewhat unceremoniously, reunited him with Hannah.

"Yes, Dr.? We can't wait to hear this one." William sank back into the seat as Hannibal flashed a smile at him.

"Umm," William's eyes darted about. "We need to stop at the bus terminal."

Face raised his eyebrows at this. "I wasn't aware there was a reward for Hannah's safe return-"

"T-there isn't. I mean, there wasn't." Dr. Bombrey looked down at Hannah. Her arms could barely wrap around his waist to hug him. She looked like she was asleep. She must have been exhausted from the stress of the past three weeks, he thought. He put his hand on her shoulder. He looked back up to see four pairs of eyes watching him very carefully. "I couldn't risk any media attention. Everything's in the locker at the bus terminal. I'll explain it to you there. Whoever you are. You brought her back to me, you deserve an explanation. So does she. I'm grateful. I thought I might never have the chance."

"Face, we've still got the Christmas party at the orphanage tonight. Hannah reminded me that we're going to need a sleigh for those presents," Hannibal pointed to the back of the van with his cigar. Face looked at him in disbelief.

"You realize that this case isn't over. The kidnappers aren't going to let us get away that easily. For all we know they could be waiting for us at the Bombrey residence, which, for the record, we don't even know the address."

"555 Pico Cresent," Dr. Bembrey interjected.

"Thank you," Face faked a cheerful grin and turned back to Hannibal. "And you want me to go get a sleigh?"

"Not just you. Murdock and Hannah are going with you."

"Now wait a minute. I just got her back," said Dr. Bombrey

"That's what her kidnapper said. So until you show us what you've got stashed in that locker at the bus terminal. Hannah can stay with the A-Team." 

"That's fair," muttered the doctor, dejected. His head shot back up and looked at the men around him, trying to ignore the fact that the man to his right had exchanged his ball cap for a felt green hat with a bell on its floppy point. "The A-Team."

"That's right," grinned Murdock, pulling the green tunic on over his head. "We're Santa's little helpers." Face moaned.

"Don't worry, Face. B.A. and I will take the doctor's car. You take the van. It's Christmas Eve. The odds are in our favor."

"How can you argue with that?" Face said to no one in particular.

* * *

"Here it is, Seargent. 555 Pico Cresent."

"Are you sure you want to handle it this way, Colonel?"

"If we aren't in contact in an hour, reinforcements will arrive. I'm not leaving anything to chance this time." 

Before the two men finished ascending the front stairs, the front door opened. There stood a tall young man with his dark hair slicked back out of his face. 

"Can I help you gentlemen?"

"Colonel Roderick Decker," the older man introduced himself and held out his hand. "Dr. Bombrey?" The man nodded and he shook Decker's hand. "We'd like to talk to you about your daughter."

The man dropped his head, his shoulders shook slightly. Decker and his seargent exchanged looks of concern. 

"If this is a bad time-" 

"No!" the man spoke to the floor through clenched teeth. "No. Please. Come in."

End of Chapter Four 

  
  



	5. Sleigh Ride

St. Nick Fix

Chapter 5

Sleigh Ride

Author's Note: I considered changing the rating of the story from G to PG then I looked the subject matter that is covered under "Murder She Wrote" which only gets a G rating. What's the difference between MSW and the A-Team? Beats me, maybe too many explosions. *Looks at story in dismay, realizing there is not one single explosion and none are planned* So the G rating stays. Oh well, maybe we'll ring the New Year in with a Bang!

Disclaimer: Please see chapter one

  
  


Chapter 5: Sleigh Ride

After they dropped Hannibal, B.A. and Dr. William Bombrey off at the doctor's battered blue beetle, (B.A. had insisted on driving. It was quite a sight seeing the big man squeeze behind the wheel of the original Bug. Hannibal was safe, laughing at him outside the car.) Murdock and Face sped off before their expressions of amusement were discovered by their brother-in-arms. After a moment of stifling their giggles on account of the sleeping Hannah, Face remembered what Hannibal had sent them after.

"A sleigh! Hannibal must be out of his mind!"

"I told you, Faceman, _I'm_ the Out-of-his-mind elf!" Murdock heard the girl laugh behind him. He turned in the passenger's seat to see Hannah sitting up and pulling the Santa coat around her for warmth. She looked very tiny all alone on the seat. "Aww, see what you did? You woke her up!"

"I woke her?!" Face stopped his indignant reply there. It was useless to try to reason with Murdock. Part of his success as a conman depended on choosing his battles. Murdock was one person Face never tried to con, he knew he'd never win. 

"Where's Daddy? And Santa and B.A.?" Hannah asked. Unseen, she rolled her eyes. They thought she was so cute to think Hannibal was Santa, smiling at each other while trying to decide what to say to her. They just didn't understand and she didn't think she would be able to enlighten them. She wasn't surprised when Face changed the subject and Murdock gleefully turned on the radio because she was awake. Maybe they even suspected she hadn't been asleep at all, which was true. She heard everything. Even her father's strange words about having something to tell her. She'd find out whatever it was soon enough. When they got back home. She couldn't wait to get back home. Okay, she could. She was going to get Santa's sleigh. That almost made all the strangeness of the past few weeks fade from her mind.

"Where is it?" she asked, interrupting Murdock and the Boss in the middle of _Santa Claus is Coming to Town._

"Uh, where's what?" said Face.

"Santa's sleigh," Hannah wanted to say "duh." "That's what we're going to get isn't it?"

"Yup!" Murdock continued to dance in the passenger seat. Face shot him a look. "Why, don't you tell her, Face?"

"It's in a place no one would even think to look. . ."

* * *

There were very few people at the bus terminal when the three men arrived. All the buses had dropped off holiday visitors and were now in the garage. In a few minutes the terminal would lock its doors for Christmas. The staffs complaints about late-comers withered on their tongues with one scowl from the muscular man with the mohawk hair-cut. They proceeded to the lockers unmolested.

William stopped in front of locker 1924. He pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and fished through it for the key.

"You keep the key on you?" said Hannibal.

William nodded as he kept searching. "Yes. In case something happened to me. I wanted Hannah to be able to find it. There's only one other person who knows about this locker." He juggled the key momentarily in his haste. He inserted the key and turned it, looking around cautiously before opening the locker.

"Really? Huh. And who's this other person?"

"Mrs. Claus."

B.A. let out a giggle at the shocked expression on the Colonel's face. You'd think he really thought he was Santa Claus. "You never invited us to the wedding? Shame on you, Hannibal."

B.A.'s rare levity snapped Hannibal out of it. "Get out. You don't mean to tell me that you actually believe that Mrs. Claus-" William handed Hannibal a piece of paper and proceeded to pull out a slightly crumpled blonde wig and a white overcoat trimmed with fake-fur from the locker. "Well, how about that. It's signed Mrs. Claus." Hannibal gave the paper to B.A. and regarded Dr. Bombrey's evidence. 

"There's more," said the doctor. He handed a large manila envelope to Hannibal. Hannibal opened it. He heard B.A. mutter "This is bad, Hannibal." He had to agree. The photographs in the envelope painted an even grimmer picture. Besides the pictures there were computer print-outs based on the license plate number of the car in the pictures, and copies of a birth and marriage certificate.

Dr. Bombrey watched the frowns on the men's faces deepen as they reviewed the information. He marvelled at how calm they were. He'd nearly fainted once he'd gotten the courage up to open the locker and its contents. The terminal's staff paced around impatiently, their footfalls breaking the silence, but none dared approach them. 

"Does the name on the birth and marriage certificates mean anything to you?" Hannibal looked at the doctor.

"No. I don't know who they were," he replied.

Hannibal shook his head. "You and Mrs. Claus were going on the assumption that the people in the car were Hannah's parents. Given the limited amount of time this woman had to get this information, I'm not surprised she came to that conclusion. She's good, whoever she is. How she stumbled upon this whole mess, your guess is as good as mine."

"Honestly, I didn't believe the letter. I was going to give Hannah over to the proper authorities until I saw a news flash on the television Christmas morning. The reporter said a three year old girl had been kidnapped on Christmas Eve and there was a reward for her. That's why I couldn't make a big deal about Hannah when she disappeared three weeks ago. The police might have put two and two together and I'd be arrested or whoever was after her three years ago might go after her again if I got her back," William walked around in a circle, running his hands through his hair in nervous habit. "Mess." He smiled at the word. "Yes, that's just what it is, Hannibal. _Santa_. A mess I've been trying to keep under the rug for three years because I happen to agree with what our mysterious Mrs. Claus wrote there. That Hannah deserves a good life, whatever happened to her parents." He stopped pacing and confronted Hannibal. "What's this about assuming the people were Hannah's parents? What's that got to do with this?"

"Everything, I'm afraid," Hannibal put his gloved hand on Dr. Bombrey's shoulder. "Come on, we'll fill you in on the way to your house."

* * *

"See? Nothin' to it," Face intertwined his fingers and stretched out his arms, very pleased with himself. He grinned at Murdock as he scrambled in the van. "All set?"

Murdock nodded. "All set."

Face turned the key in the ignition and drove away from the warehouse with a big, bright red sleigh attached to the back of the van. Hannah had to admit it was very clever.

"The Hollywood Christmas Parade _is_ the last place anybody would look for Santa's sleigh!" 

Face beamed at her blatant admiration. "Just don't expect it to be there next year. We'll have to move it now that security's been compromised." Hannah could see him looking for her response in the rear-view mirror. She wasn't quite sure what _compromised_ meant but she figured she'd humor him, since it was obvious he was teasing. She crossed her arms and pouted for a second. She was far too excited to pout for long.

"When do I get to pet the reindeer?"

"Reindeer?!"

"Santa's sleigh's nothing without reindeer, Faceman," Murdock said seriously. Face looked at his friend, feeling an array of emotions. First, Murdock was making this even more difficult by encouraging the girl. Second, he was seriously doubting Murdock's sanity, yet again. Face sighed. He sincerely hoped that Hannibal wasn't doing serious damage to Murdock's psyche by pretending to be Santa. He slowed the van to a crawl and grabbed Murdock by the collar of his elf costume.

"Where am I going to find reindeer in L.A.?" he whispered. Murdock said not a word instead pointed out Face's window. Face was almost afraid to look. He turned his head slowly. He dropped his hands, letting go of Murdock's costume.

"I don't believe it." There on the green field of someone's expansive ranch, stood a pair of reindeer. They were minding their own business, happily gnawing on some straw. Murdock grabbed the wheel and turned the van onto the property. Face resigned himself to what was happening. A smile came to his lips as he considered the surprise of the kids at the Angels Guardian Orphanage when Hannibal rode up in a sleigh led by reindeer. He'd got the sleigh, he could con these people out of a couple of animals for the evening. Yes. This was going to be fun.

"Stay here with Hannah," he ordered Murdock. 

"But, Face, you need my help," Murdock whined. 

"Not for this one." Face ambled up and knocked on the door.

He hoped their luck would hold and any hired help had been sent home. It would save time to deal directly with the owner. He zipped up his black leather jacket and shoved his hands in his pockets. The sun had only gone in half an hour ago but the cold night air already closed in on him. _Good thing Hannah has the coat from Hannibal's costume_, he thought as he waited. The door opened. Face needed a second to compose himself. The man standing before him looked more like Santa Claus than Hannibal did with his costume. 

"Can I help you?"

"Are you the owner of those magnificent creatures?"

"Why, yes I am-"

"Wonderful! Wonderful! Listen, I need a really big favor. I wouldn't normally ask but, you see, it's for the kids."

"Kids?"

"Not mine. I don't have any. No, it's on behalf of the children of the Angels Guardian Orphanage that I'm standing here. You can't believe!-Well, maybe you can-How hard it is to find reindeer! We had an agreement with the zoo to borrow theirs, along with zookeepers dressed as elves to make sure everything goes smoothly and what happens?" Face paused for effect, giving the man a second to consider the plight. The gentleman shrugged. 

Face continued: "They came down with something! Some strange strain of a cold of some kind. I don't remember what they called it. I could only think of the disappointment on their little faces when Santa pops out of car or something. Have you ever seen that? It completely ruins the arrival.

"So we're heading to take back the sleigh we rented.-What good is a sleigh without reindeer?-When we're driving along the road and there's a pair of reindeer right before our eyes! You can imagine how we're thanking God for such a miracle. To send us here to such a generous soul who would lend us their animals for just a few hours tonight to bring smiles to the faces of poor children without families of their own to share in the joy of Christmas. Thank you so much, sir. Do you happen to have any harnesses to hitch them up to the sleigh? The zoo was to provide that stuff." The old gentleman set about getting the equipment for the deer to pull the sleigh. Face went back to help Murdock to detach the sleigh from the van. The man led the two reindeer up to the sleigh. Hannah jumped out of the van and ran over to the reindeer.

"Nice sleigh. Red's a nice touch. I have a black one that I use."

Hannah looked at the man. "You look a lot like Santa."

The man chuckled at this. "That's the idea. I get a lot of business this time of year. I take people out for rides in my black sleigh led by my two deer. It allows me to live a pretty good life. I have to work a few more days a year than Santa. But I don't recall him ever getting paid to deliver all those toys." The man mused as he finished harnessing the animals. "There you go. And if you ever need to use the deer for something like this again feel free to come by. Here's my card."

"Well, thank you. Thank you very much," said Face, feeling some compunction over his approach.

"Merry Christmas, son."

"Merry Christmas."

* * *

Hannibal saw Decker sitting in the chair too late. Before he could take the gun out from behind his back, he, B.A. and Dr. Bombrey were surrounded by Jonas's thugs. One of them took his gun. He smiled at Decker.

"Don't you have anything better to do on Christmas Eve, Decker?"

"It's just like you to mock, Smith. I'd be more concerned with these men here." Decker indicated the occupants of the room with this head because his hands were bound behind the chair he was seated on. His seargent was in a similar predicament beside him.

Jonas skidded into the room. He was followed by his aunt, Belinda. He looked around, arms spread out from his sides, as if expecting to find someone else. He rounded on the doctor. "Where is she?"

"Dr. Bombrey, meet Jonas McInnis," said Hannibal.

* * *

The cold air didn't bother her a bit. It felt good to be outside. Hannah had only been out of doors for a few minutes at a time twice a week while she was with her kidnappers. Face was driving the van a safe distance behind them. Murdock looked funny holding the reins. He was so skinny and tall. He smiled at her and began to sing.

"Giddy-up, giddy-up, giddy-up let's GO! Puh-puh-puh-puh-pum! And that's all I remember of the song. I've got intermittent memory loss, so you'll have to help me out."

"I don't know that song," said Hannah. "I thought you said: On Dancer! On Prancer! On Donner and Blitzen and all that."

"We've only got two reindeer for the visit to the orphanage so going through the whole spiel would be kinda pointless, doncha think? Besides, they only fly for Santa."

He was so serious, Hannah didn't know what to make of him or the rest of the A-Team. What was up with having everything stashed all over the place? It wasn't like Santa was a secret agent or doing anything wrong. Hannah truly believed in the power of Christmas. It was the first year she'd ever asked for anything. The other two years her dad took her to see Santa she always told him to thank Mrs. Claus for giving her to her daddy. Each time Santa had acted surprised. She guessed maybe Mrs. Claus hadn't told him what she'd done. This year she'd get to be home again. She had been terrified of spending Christmas with Jonas. He seemed like he was seeking her approval with everything he did and if she didn't like it, he got angry. Really angry. She shuddered.

"You okay, chichita?"

"Yeah."

"What were you thinking?"

"None of your business!" Hannah was surprised at how rude she was. "I'm sorry."

"That's okay. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine."

"It's just, I asked Santa for the A-Team and I got you. It's so strange. How fast you came, I mean. And Christmas is very special to me and my dad. I really wanted to be able to spend it with him." She saw Murdock was frowning. "What?"

"Most six-year-olds don't have to think about stuff like that. They just ask for what they want and pout if they don't find it under the tree at Christmas time. Some times I think there's a special angel that watches over all the little kids in the world. I think that angel is especially busy at Christmas time."

Hannah shook her head fervently. "I know there is. Her name is Mrs. Claus."

"_Mrs._ Claus?" Murdock coughed out the words. Then he remembered that Hannibal wasn't really Santa and calmed down some. "Why do you say that?"

"She gave me to my daddy three years ago today!"

"Three years? But you're six!"

Hannah again resisted the urge to say 'duh!' "I know."

"Do you remember anything before that Christmas Eve?"

"No."

_Man, oh man,_ thought Murdock. _We are in it deep tonight!_ He glanced back at Face driving the van. Nope, Faceman had a tendency to get too high-strung when he knew what was going on. He flashed a Mona Lisa grin at Face then returned his attention to driving the sleigh. The sooner they got to 555 Pico Crescent, the better.

  
  


End of chapter five


	6. Up On the Rooftop

St. Nick Fix

Chapter Six

Up On the Rooftop

Author's Note: This is it! The last chapter! Yay! Merry Christmas everybody.

Disclaimer: please see chapter one

Chapter Six: Up on the Rooftop

Murdock turned the sleigh onto Pico Crescent in time to see a man wearing a black trenchcoat and carrying a semi-automatic rifle go to the back of a house. He turned to Hannah. She'd seen the man and was sitting as straight and stiff as a board. 

"I'm guessing that's 555?" he drawled.

Hannah looked at him curiously. Then she remembered how the four of them had rescued her earlier that day. She had nothing to worry about. The A-Team wouldn't let anything happen to her or her father. She nodded and smiled. Murdock smiled back. He shot his left arm out to the side to hand-signal his intent to stop and nearly took Face's head off.

"Watch it Murdock!"

"You should be more careful, Faceman. Sneaking up on people can be hazardous to your health."

Face looked at Hannah. "I'm not even going to dignify that with a response." Face looked up the street. He groaned when he spotted the unoccupied blue Beetle. "You know what that means don't you?"

"Hannibal and B.A. are most likely being held inside," said Murdock.

"Right, and that means we have to find a way to get in there and get them out."

"There's always the St. Nick way," Murdock pointed into the air and received a rare scowl from Face. "You have any better ideas, O Facial One?"

Face looked around hoping-praying!-for a better plan. He knew Murdock's idea was the best one on such short notice. Leave it to Hannibal to say 'Don't worry.' His eyes lit upon the Santa coat Hannah was wearing. 

"Could I-uh-borrow this?" Face had the coat off her and on himself before she could reply. He sprinted back to the van, grabbed a brown sack they were planning to use for presents. "I've got to be out of my mind," he muttered as he threw assorted rifles and guns into the sack. He kept one out and handed it to Murdock. "I'm going to need some help. Hannah, you go and stay in the van. Don't open it for anyone but us, okay." 

Hannah nodded and ran toward the van. Face and Murdock slunk over to the house. They never saw a shadowy figure scoop her up off the road before she reached the vehicle.

* * *

"I know this is an over-used cliché, McInnis, but you'll never get away with this." Hannibal grinned at the young man trying to hover over him in an intimidating way. 

Jonas grew angrier with each word Hannibal said. He wanted to kick Smiley's teeth in. The man's eyes glittered with the dare for him to try. Jonas knew he was the loser either way. He turned away from the mocking eyes. He didn't feel like looking like a fool when his daughter arrived. He regarded the people he was holding prisoner. How did it get so out of control? All he wanted was his daughter. But his daughter didn't know him. Bombrey hadn't even known Jonas was Hannah's father. He shook his head. No, that was wrong. Bombrey had known Jonas was her father, he just thought that he was the man that had been killed with Mona three years ago today. He should be with Hannah at the churchyard telling her what he knew about that horrible day. He read the letter left by the mystery woman again. Seeing the pictures, he'd almost started bawling there in front of them all. That wouldn't do.

Maybe, maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that Hannah lived here. He walked over to the doctor. The man flinched at his approach. That upset Jonas, why did everyone think he was just like his father? He took a deep breath to calm down and looked the doctor in the eye.

"Is she happy here?"

"W-what?"

Hannibal raised his eyebrows at B.A.

"I said, is she happy here?"

"Yes. She seemed to be very happy."

"Why don't you ask her yourself." All eyes in the room turned at Belinda's voice. Hannah tried to wriggle from her grasp.

* * *

Face was having second thoughts about going up on the roof. He stopped at the front corner of the house, Murdock close behind him. He wordlessly tried to get Murdock to go up first. Murdock shook his head and tucked his gun under his elf tunic. He prodded Face to move. Face turned and slapped at him. Murdock blocked him. The two men resembled cats batting at one another in succession until they concluded simultaneously that it was getting them nowhere. Face stepped on Murdock's shoulder and pulled himself onto the roof. From that vantage point he could see the same man they'd spotted from the road. If he turned around, he'd see Murdock standing there. Face reached down and hoisted Murdock up beside him. Murdock just managed to keep his elf hat on through the ordeal.

"This wasn't part of the plan, Faceman," Murdock said as they scrambled over to the chimney. "I supposed to run around the house yelling 'Ho! Ho! Ho!' like somebody who's had a little too much egg nog. I'm the distraction, that's what I do, it's what I'm good at."

"Oh, and just what do you base my ability to go down chimney's on?"

A sly grin crept over Murdock's face. "You don't really want me to answer that, do you?"

Face considered for a second. "No." 

After a lame attempt to step in the chimney, he turned to Murdock. "They don't make these like they used to, Murdock. These modern chimneys get narrower the further down you go."

"Face, Face, Face. You'll be _fine_. I can tell you just by looking at it that this chimney was built the old-fashioned way. There's plenty of room."

Face finally perched himself on the edge of the chimney, both legs inside. He still remembered the stories of wanna-be Santa's chimney adventures. "What if I get stuck?" he asked as he began to lower himself into the darkness.

"With those hips?"

Face stopped. He smiled at Murdock.

"You know, Face, you look just like the Grinch when you smile like that."

"Just hand me the sack!"

* * *

"Hannah!" said Jonas and William.

William backed down under Jonas's glare. He winced as Jonas untied him. He tried to get himself to calm down. He shot a glance over at Hannibal. The white-haired man just shrugged at him. There was nothing anybody could do. What did Jonas plan to do with him? He forced back a whimper when Jonas none-to-gently pulled him off the chair and dragged him over to Hannah.

Jonas took a second to compose himself and allow Bombrey to find his footing. He saw Hannah looking from him to Bombrey. "Hannah, Dr. Bombrey has something to tell you."

"I-I-I'm s-sorry. I wanted to tell you differently than this. I d-didn't know your father was alive."

"What!?" Hannah heard herself say the word but it sounded like someone else said it. 

"J-Jonas McInnis is your father, Hannah. He's been looking for you a long time. I didn't know he was alive. If I had-" Dr. Bombrey saw Jonas regarding him curiously. _He probably thinks I'm just saying this but I mean it_. He heard the words come out of his mouth as he looked at the man. "I mean it. Things might have been different."

  
  


While his captor's attention was drawn to the other side of the room, Decker took the opportunity given to him. "What time is it, Smith?" 

"Time?" Hannibal tilted his head to regard his nemesis. "It was about ten after six when we got here. We've been here about forty-five minutes I think. . ." Hannibal clued in as to why Decker was concerned about the time. He bestowed on him his widest smile. "Why, Colonel. Did I ever tell you how much I love you?"

Decker grimaced in response.

There was a great clatter coming from the chimney. The people in the room turned to see Face land on the unlit firewood. He managed to keep his dignity despite rather painful landing. He lost what little he had left when the sack full of weapons bonked him on the head. He was in the middle of declaring "Ho! Ho! Ho!" Instead it sounded like "Ho! Ho!-Bonk!-Ow!" Face managed to pull out a gun and waved it around as he moved over to untie B.A. and Hannibal. 

"Just as you predicted, Hannibal," Face looked at Jonas at the other side of the room, whose attention had been taken by the woman holding Hannah.

"Yeah, I know. I think I'll try being one of those 1-900 psychics in the new year."

Face looked at Decker. "You, I didn't expect. Do we untie him?" Hannibal nodded.

  
  


"We need to take her and leave now, Jonas," Belinda said. He heard the panic in her voice and looked at her. Her eyes were wide, as if she was afraid of something. He knew immediately what she'd done. He exploded.

"I don't believe it! All this time! I trusted you! And you, you told my _father!" _Jonas stopped yelling and wandered over to the chesterfield. He plopped down on it despondently. "He'll kill her. Just like he killed my wife." His voice was barely a whisper.

"I'm so sorry, Jonas. I thought I was doing what was best for you. I see now that your father was wrong. We have to go _now_." Belinda tried to pull her nephew up. He didn't even register that she had a hold of him. He just sat there. 

"I thought. . . I hoped that this would be a new beginning. . . after those years of Christmases in the churchyard. I thought it would be a wonderful Christmas. Now, now, it looks like it will be even worse than three years ago." Jonas put his head in his hands. Aunt Belinda moved away from the chesterfield. Dr. Bombrey had scooped Hannah up during Jonas's outburst. She got down and walked over to Jonas. She sat down beside him. Everything was happening so fast. She wasn't sure she wanted Jonas to be her father. She had hoped for a moment that Dr. Bombrey would tell her Jonas made him say everything when he picked her up. He hadn't. It was true. She was still trying to grasp that.

"You're really my father?" she asked quietly.

"Yes," Jonas's voice broke as he spoke. It really didn't matter if anyone saw him crying now. Hannah took his hand. "I shouldn't have taken you away from here. I've messed everything up. Until now, my father thought you were long forgotten. Now he's coming here." He looked at his daughter, the tears drying on his face. "He won't get to you while I'm alive." Hannah still looked confused. He shrugged, they'd find out soon enough. He wasn't going to run from his father anymore.

The front door burst open. A man about seven feet tall entered ahead of an older man. The old man was followed in by three other bodyguards. The bodyguards took the weapons Face just handed them away. Hannibal knew this was Joshua McInnis. He smiled inwardly, taking a sideways glance at Decker. This was the end of the line for the old crime boss. The old man started when he saw his son seated on the chesterfield with a little red-haired girl holding his hand. He looked at his sister.

"This is the child?" Belinda nodded and ran out of the room. Joshua's curious gaze followed her. He turned his attention back to his son. "Give her to me."

"No."

"If you refuse, I'll be forced to do it here."

Jonas released Hannah's hand and stood up. "That's supposed to make me feel better? What does it matter if it's here or 50 miles outside of the city limits like her mother and grandfather!?! She'll be dead, and I'll know it." Jonas walked over to his father. "No. If you kill her, you may as well kill me here and now. You did half the job three years ago. You might as well finish it."

Jonas never had the opportunity to find out what his father would do. The U.S. Army quickly and effectively ambushed the McInnis family at the Bombrey house. The old crime boss kicked up a fuss and even accused his son of setting him up. Jonas only laughed and mused aloud about the sweet irony of it all. Before they took Jonas away, Bombrey reassured him that he would be allowed to visit Hannah. Jonas opened his mouth but nothing came out. He looked at the doctor with a new respect. Hannah waved goodbye.

"My dad. . . He wasn't so bad. And my mom?" Hannah looked up at her other father. "She's dead?" 

"Yes, I'll tell you all about it-" he stopped when he saw Hannah looking around him.

"What's going on over there? Where do they think they're going with Santa?!" Hannah marched over to the paddy wagon Decker had Hannibal, Face and B.A. lined up behind. She could hear them talking as she approached.

"This is it, Smith."

"You always say that. I think it's code for "I love you,'" said Hannibal. Decker grimaced with disgust once more.

"Come on, Decker. It's Christmas Eve. You've got Joshua McInnis as a feather in your cap, what more could you want?" said Face.

"I'd say something but you'd only twist it in your sick, demented way," said Decker. Hannibal leaned toward Face.

"He knows me so well."

"Excuse me!"

Decker looked down to see Hannah frowning up at him with her arms folded across her chest. She was tapping her foot on the ground in an annoyed fashion. Decker's mouth twitched slightly but he maintained his gravity.

"What can I do for you, young lady?"

"I'd like it very much if you would release Santa and his elves so they can fulfill their commitment to the Angels Guardian Orphanage tonight."

Decker's seargent laughed and nudged Decker. "She thinks that Smith is really Santa Claus." Decker silenced him by raising his hand to ear-level.

"What's this?" he frowned at the A-Team.

"That's right, Decker. You wouldn't want to end up on Santa's naughty list by keeping him from delivering gifts to orphans on Christmas Eve, now would you?" 

Decker stood still for what seemed like an age. Hannibal would joke later that you could see Decker's heart growing two sizes that day. Decker saw his men moving the sleigh and van out of the corner of his eye.

"Halt!" Decker went over to them, indicating for the rest of his men to bring the A-Team with them and muttering, "I must be out of my mind." Hannah and Dr. Bombrey followed close behind.

"C-Colonel. Colonel. What are you doing?" asked his seargent. 

"Seargent!" Decker whirled around to face his subordinate. "Do you want to be the one to tell the President the reason why his eight-year-old daughter didn't get any Christmas presents?!"

The seargent quickly comprehended the catch-22 of the situation. "No, sir!" 

"Then, release these men and their-er-vehicles immediately!"

"Yes, sir!"

Decker turned to scowl at the happy faces on the members of the A-Team. "This is only a temporary reprieve, Smith. After tomorrow, it's business as usual."

Hannibal stuck his hand out to Decker. "I wouldn't have it any other way." Decker shook his hand. "Merry Christmas, Decker."

"Merry Christmas, Smith," Decker turned to leave. Hannah was in his way. This time she was smiling up at him.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, young lady. Sir," he nodded at William and continued to rejoin his men.

Hannibal now sat in the sleigh dressed in his Santa costume. He was in the middle of gluing on his beard when Hannah ran up to him.

"Can we come, too?" 

Hannibal nodded. "But Dr. Bombrey will have to follow us in that Bug of his. There isn't room for four adults and a kid on this sleigh."

"No problem," Dr. Bombrey said with a laugh. He hoisted Hannah up beside Hannibal.

Hannibal put on his half-glasses and looked down them at the girl. "It's been a big day, kid."

"Yup! And the best is yet to come!" she chirped. Hannibal laughed with her. Their laughter was interrupted by B.A. grunting as he tossed a sack over the back of the sleigh and climbed in behind it.

"Ow!" yelped the sack. The top fell open and Murdock's head popped up. "B.A.!" he squeaked indignantly. "This is precious cargo. You have to handle it with care."

"I don't see no precious cargo. All I see is a fool," said B.A. Face hopped into the sleigh beside Murdock. That's the last of the presents. We're ready to go."

"Okay everyone, hold on!" Hannibal twitched the reins and the reindeer started off. People on the street waved as they drove by. The A-Team elves waved back and Hannibal was heard to say:

"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"

  
  


THE END


End file.
